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MondayAugust 25, 2025

Demetrius Short on running in suits and pain as preparation

Demetrius Short
Courtesy Demetrius Short
Demetrius Short started the Steps for Success 5k 15 years ago to commemorate his walk in a suit and sneakers to and from his internship while scraping his way through Fisk University.
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Earlier this year, Demetrius Short spoke at Fisk University’s Honors Convocation and got some apologies off his chest. He disclosed to his mentors and professors he was sneaking into their offices to sleep on their couches. He was grabbing a tray of chicken legs and hoping the cafeteria workers would look the other way. He was attending class for years without officially being enrolled as a student.

Through seven years scraping by in school, Short always kept an internship. With no car, he walked both ways from the Fisk campus to an office in West End, wearing a suit and alligator skin shoes. After graduating, Short used that experience to start a fundraiser 5k where runners are asked to wear suits and sneakers. The Steps of Success 5k is now in its 15th year.

When a man can run a 5k in a full business suit, he’s got a story worth tuning in for. Join us!

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